


Dare to Eat a Peach

by LaBelleIzzy



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Baking, M/M, Podfic Welcome, Stress Baking, sometimes they play hockey, transformative arts welcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 20:47:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6722785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaBelleIzzy/pseuds/LaBelleIzzy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three times Bitty indulged his love for peaches and one time Jack did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Eric needs a moment alone...

Mama Bittle is a baking goddess. This is just something we all knew.  
She's got to be where Bitty gets it from. (He swore me to secrecy, but he and his mom have a Pinterest for their recipes? If I ever want to learn to bake I'm _going_ to get that account from him, somehow.)

Bitty might deny it, but he definitely cooks to take care of us. I think his mom really understands that about him. He's a tiny caretaking firecracker with a sassy mouth and a gigantic warm silly heart. Of course he also says we have all the sense God gave a pile of puppies, and could burn boiling water in a pan. *smile*

Anyway, we ALL love Bitty's cooking. Besides, oh my god, do you _know_ how we used to eat before Bittle moved in? You don't want to know, trust me. Brr.

Shitty told me that Bitty's been like this since we all met him. From the moment Bitty walked into the Haus during his frosh year, he's been coaxing magical foodstuff things out of that rickety old oven. Thank god for Bitty, and for his mama. They're two of the reasons it's good to live in the Haus.

Despite the kitchen witchcraft that boy can do, nobody in the Haus expected a big box of FRAGILE to be delivered on April 29th, smelling of sweet springtime and lazy summer days.

Ransom whispered, "What do you think it IS?" as they carried it inside, and Holster said quietly out the side of his mouth, "I don't know, but it smells _amazing_." I watched with a grin because those boys didn't even _try_ to hide how they were sniffing at the shipping box as they carried it through to the kitchen. Bitty had already started making breakfast: the starchy smells of pancakes and syrup were warm on the air, with the deeper richer note of the coffee that was brewing in our giant carafe. The smell from this box floated sweet and delicate above all those smells and interwove perfectly, making my mouth water suddenly.

"Bitty? Special Delivery!" I called through the door as I followed them on through.

"Oh? My stars, what...?" Bitty turned around from the stove to see the box almost the size of a shipping crate the boys were carrying between them, and took in all our curious faces as well. His face broke out in THE sunniest smile as he recognized the handwriting on the label.

"Oh my Lord! Oh my Lord in heaven... Thank you, mama, you're the best friend a boy addicted to baking could _ever_ have!"  
His little arms pulled up like he was doing a t-rex impression, his eyes squinched shut and he made a noise that probably only dogs can hear and then he started _bouncing_. He only did that for a sec, but then he opened his eyes, relaxed his shoulders, and started REALLY dancing in the kitchen... That kid can boogie, but I'd never seen it without a Beyonce song playing. His hands fluttered all over the box, his grin wouldn't stop, his hips were swaying and doing some complicated things. Rans and Holtzy just stood there with their eyebrows up and identical confused expressions.

I leaned out the kitchen door and yelled up towards the stairs, "Yo Shitty! Jack! You wanna come down here and see this, we're about to have a baking EVENT, I'm not even kidding."

Rans and Holtzy backed up against the counter to give Bitty more room, and I leaned up on the doorjamb to watch, smirking. Shitty and Jack came down the stairs in a hurry, crowding up behind me just in time to see the last of Bitty's victory dance.  
Shitty leaned down to whisper, "Is there some special occasion for this motherfucking magnificence?" His eyes were wide as Bitty finished with a shimmy and a couple of sock-footed spins. I glanced back at Shitty to reply and caught Jack looking a bit, well, stunned.  
Huh.

I whispered, "Mama Bittle sent a care package. I can't wait to see what's inside, it smells so fucking good!"

Shitty's expression got thoughtful and his eyebrows went up. He bit his lip and said casually, "Hey Bitty, you gonna open the box? Not that your dance performance ain't stealing the breath from my lungs here, cos it is, sweetheart, but Lardo here says the suspense is killing her... You don't want us short a manager, now do ya?"

Bitty opened his eyes after finishing a spin, laughed and blushed a little. "I'm sorry y'all, but this is my favorite time of the year. My mama remembered and sent me some of the reason why it's my favorite. Gimme a sec..." as he slid over to the utensils drawer and brought out the old ugly knife that we only ever used (at Bitty's insistence) on mail and butchering non-food items. He quickly, carefully opened the box, his tongue tip sticking out the corner of his mouth. Gosh this kid is adorable.

With great reverence, Bitty opened the box and started scooping out piles of that shredded crinkly paper that gets used for packing fragile stuff, until he found whatever was inside and heaved a deep happy sigh. I could see his eyes shining from the doorway and I never believed people actually _did_ that outside of a book, but honest to god, his glee was leaking out all over his face. He dove in with both hands and brought something out cupped in both his palms. Huge, soft, round, and oh, such beautiful fuzzy tones of red and orange and cream... OH. 

PEACH.

God. Seriously, if I ever did representational art, I'd have loved to capture that look of joyful anticipation on Bitty's face when he brought that damn peach out of the box. The only thing that could have been MORE beautiful happened just a second later, when he brought the peach up to his face and took a giant hungry bite out of it.  
I am not even joking when I say his eyes rolled back in his head and he let out a sound I'd never heard from him before. The boy has, you must know, a wide range of enthusiastic noises, but _this_ was something of an entirely different, um, caliber. It made me smirk. I glanced around to see: stunned and amused from R  & H, Shitty grinning behind me, and Jack, wait now... Jack was blinking really quickly and had some color in his cheeks. Heh. I was gonna chirp him about that later.

Bitty looked completely _wrecked_. Like he was having a religious experience, if you know what I mean, heh. Totally oblivious to the mess he was making of himself: juice running down his chin, staining his shirt, and just loving all of it, His eyes had closed again and he was making these little moaning noises in his throat.

"Hey Bitty," I hear snarkily from behind me, "were ya gonna buy that peach a drink first or just take it to bed straightaway?"  
Shitty, you glorious jerk. Still, I can't wipe my own smirk off, and our D-men have gotten over their shock and started grinning at each other by the time Bitty comes out of his daze.

Eric stuck his tongue out at us. "Y'all are interrupting my MOMENT. This Georgia peach is _bonding_ with another one of my kind, have some respect! Anyway y'all will get your own chance to feel this joy in tomorrow's cobbler, just you wait. You will _bow down_ to the peach!"

I grinned and jerked my chin toward the living room. "Cmon, boys, let's let Bittle have his MOMENT, right?"

Holster and Ransom had recovered from their stun, sporting identical cheesy grins. They exited the kitchen backward, bowing theatrically: "We're not worthy! We're not worthy! We're scum! We suck!" and then giggling and running back up the stairs as Bitty's dishtowel hit the kitchen door. I heard them high and low five each other at the top of the stairs.

Shitty slung his arm over my shoulder and said, "Lardo, my flower, let us retreat with grace from these hallowed halls of culinary excellence and permit the genius that is certain to percolate therein uninterrupted."  
I punched him in the shoulder like I always did when he got all Harvard Law-ish, took his hand. "Let us indeed," waggling my eyebrows over my shoulder at Bitty as we turned to go. He flapped his hands at us, grinning and chewing another ginormous bite.

Jack had vanished already. I didn't notice when he booked it out of there. Dude could be ridiculously quiet for a big guy, when he wanted to. I slung my other arm around Shitty's waist and we meandered out to sit on the roof with our coffee to let Bitty alone for awhile. We'd get some breakfast from him later once he'd finished his hedonistic trip down memory lane.

I wonder why Jack looked so _surprised..._ I completely forgot to give him shit about it, to be honest!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me a comment if there was anything particular that you liked. Certain turns of phrase pleased me, and I'd like to see if any of those strike readers as well.
> 
> Thank you!


	2. Lardo and Shitty observe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shitty and Lardo remember ahead of time that late April is when Mama Bittle’s special care package is due. They're REALLY looking forward to it.

Shitty’s been sprawled out on his bed all afternoon, pretending to study but really enjoying the sun on his skin through the window, and trying not to think.  
Last few weeks he’s been flipping between dwelling on, and *avoiding* thinking about all the changes ahead. Change coming at him like a freight train or the opposing team’s D-Man, to slam him into the boards. Sometimes his thoughts move slow like a lazy summer porch swing, and sometimes like a ping pong ball in a wind tunnel.

Feels like standing on tiptoes in hockey skates and balancing there, impossible to hold very long. 

The past and the potential future are moments away from colliding in his body and his life proper. What was… what might be, what will be? How does he hold off his overbearing birth family and the script they’ve got laid down for him? When this chaotic delicious family-by-choice has fed him and loved him and let him be himself, helped him find excellence on the ice and embraced his dramatic ebullience, however zany or weird or rule-breaking he decided to be.

He and Lardo had been observing the unconscious dance between Jack and Bitty for most of the last year, trading opinions quietly amongst themselves. Shitty knows he reads Jack pretty well even when Jack has everything buttoned up. There's a dozen tiny little things that have changed in how Jack talks with Bitty between last year and this. Even with he and Jack slammed with the work for their senior years at Samwell plus all the training and playing for the Men's Hockey team, Jack seems more relaxed, more expressive, even... well, even kind of happy. Especially compared to how Jack was (melancholic, jumpy, driven) when he and Shitty were frosh.

Shitty pauses to count over happy memories: the HAUS and the gleefully drunken heritage therein. Rans and Holster as they orbit each other, sharing a brain and an arm around the shoulders. Training the Frogs and Tadpoles up right. These are all right and good. 

Helping Bitty, and watching in awe as Jack helps Bitty, both gentle and firm, to learn and gradually get past his terror of being checked....

Someday, someday! He’ll get Bitty drunk enough somewhere safe and quiet enough to get Bitty to share what in the FUCK ever got him so spooked. Then, Shitty knows he’s going to wanna check some OTHER motherfuckers into the boards, HARD. 

Because he loves Bitty. Like he loves Jack, loves Rans and Holtzy, he loves the Frogs, and the team, and he loves… Yes, he can say it, inside his own head, he can say that he loves Lardo. *deep breath* He does. And here in his head he can admit, that it’s different with Lardo. And that’s okay. She gets him, she gets up under his skin and she tucks herself under there, to stay. 

Lardo - the best thing (outside of hockey) that’s ever happened to him. Jack, the best pal a lonely touch starved college frosh could ever want, now become the closest brother by another mother. Now that they’re seniors… he counts getting that gloomy Adonis to smile and laugh, among his most impressive accomplishments and proud moments. 

But the end is nigh. We’re starting Act 5 of Shitty’s Undergrad Adventures, the culmination of all that’s gone before. A dream within a dream, he snorts, amused at his own flight of fancy. College life and teamwork and bros and epikegsters, suicide drills on the ice and late night pie and coffee around the Haus’s kitchen table with the people he’s come to love best in the world.

He wants to cherish every last moment: every poignant touch, every dramatic eyeroll and bad joke and drunken hilarity; all the high drama, homey comfort, even tragedy.

Shitty will chirp his teammates, tackle-hug his friends, drink questionable alcohol, smoke some epic amounts of weed with his bros, and … enjoy… time...with Lardo.

While he still can.

Before he goes back to that world of family expectations and enforced gender conformity and short fucking stupid haircuts, and mind your dignity you have a name to uphold.

The future’s rushing up to claim him, like water rising in a flood. Sooner than he’s ready for but it’s not sweeping him away yet, not just yet.

Not when he can hear the light footsteps of his favorite tiny distraction coming down the hall.

Lardo’s mischievous face pokes itself in at his doorway. “Psst, Shits!” she whispers. “Bout that time for Mama Bittle’s care package!” 

Shitty leans back in his crappy college dorm office chair, “Yeah? Hmmm.” He rubs his palm over the stubble on his chin and thoughtfully scratches the skin under his ‘stache. 

Lardo smirks. When he ruffles up the ‘stache she calls him a walrus. She doesn’t even have to say it out loud anymore, they’ve passed the point where verbal communication is necessary approximately 80% of the time. It’s part of why he luh… _say it, dumbass, in your own head at least, why I love her so fucking much._

Shitty rolls his eyes, pushing his hair off his forehead, and reaches for his boxers.  
“Let’s go get Jack, eh?” Shitty knows there is a look of unholy glee about his mouth. He’s looking forward to seeing how this goes.  
They bang on Jack’s door, tumble inside and haul him out.

The three of them clatter down the stairs, Jack in the lead. Shitty wants to wind Jack up a little, saying offhandedly, “We should be in plenty of time to catch the Ceremony of the Opening of Bitty’s Box… mmmm, and don't that feel just a bit _dirty_ if you say it right, hah!” He catches Lardo’s eye, who’s got a good angle on Jack’s expression. She shoots back a tiny smirk and the slightest raise of an eyebrow.  
_Good. We got him with that one. Maybe these two idiots will figure it out on their own, ye glorious gods of fucking, I hope so!_

Shitty takes advantage of the momentary differences in height between him and Jack when they hit the last stair and jumps up to latch onto Jack like a monkey or a backpack, singing “he ain’t heavy, he’s my BROOOOOTHER!” Jack laughs deep in his belly and scoops under Shitty’s legs to rebalance and boost him up higher, high enough that Shitty’s got to duck his head to avoid getting brained as they swing through the doorway into the kitchen. All three of them are giggling as they come into Bitty’s domain, where the Box is waiting and wafting deliciousness into the air, and Eric Bittle is grinning at all of them. Jack laughs again and spins around so suddenly Shitty has to hang on tight.

Lardo heads for the utility drawer, saying, “Hey Bitty, let’s get this party started right, where’s your tunes?” as she pulls out the Ugly Knife of Box Opening and hip-checks Bitty hello.

“Y’all are too ridiculous for words, I swear I don’t know what to do with y’all!” Bitty says, but he’s smiling shyly and there’s color high on his cheeks as he ducks his head and starts up one of his party mixes. Lardo doesn’t even pretend she’s not huffing the seams of the box as she walks past the table to lean against Shits next to where Jack has dumped him on the countertop.

Jack watches Bitty open the flaps and scoop out the packing paper. He’s leaning half against the counter and half against Shitty’s other side. He’s warm through a thin shirt and jogging shorts, fucking Canadian radiator that he is, ugh. But he’s smiling, smiling at BITTY, and Shitty grins and pull Lardo over with his hand running over her hair. She tips him a smile and shifts over to between his knees. He slings his arms over her shoulders and rests his cheek on her hair, as they all watch Bitty open the box and bring out The First Peach. Everyone in the room inhales the gorgeous aroma, and they’re all three grinning as Bitty opens his mouth to take a bite. 

Lardo starts applauding when Bitty’s eyes roll back in his head. Bitty ignores her and keeps chewing his mouthful of perfectly ripe peach flesh, doing a tiny dance of bliss by himself, leaned up against the table.

Shitty says, “Thank all the gods for Mama Bittle, pusher of peaches!” 

Jack snorts lightly and shakes his head, looking sideways at Shits, and cuffs him lightly upside the head. “Have some respect, Shits, and let the guy have his moment. Remember last year’s peach crumble?”

Bitty darts a quick glance over, and his mouth almost smiles around his giant bite of peach.

“I meant that with utmost devoutness, what do you take me for? I would never take Mama Bittle’s name in vain!” Shitty squawks as Jack hooks an arm around Shitty’s neck and messes up his hair.

Bitty’s chin still has traces of juice running down it and he swipes the back of his hand over his face as he takes the couple of steps needed to lean against the counter with them. “You’re not invoking HEATHEN gods on my mama, now are you Mr. Knight? I’m not sure I can allow those kinds of shenanigans in my kitchen.” He takes another gleeful, huge bite of his peach and his eyes twinkle at the three of them.

Lardo makes a giant shark type snapping mouth in the general direction of Bitty’s peach, leaning over theatrically, but Bitty just straightens up, extending his arm far away from them all and wags his other finger “uh-uh” in her face, snaps once and sassily shows her the palm of his hand, nose in the air.

Shitty thinks, here’s a master of nonverbal communication, now studiously ignoring them.  
_NICE._

Jack still has a certain softness around his eyes as he glances over at Bitty for just a moment, and then jostles Shitty and Lardo in a friendly way.

Ransom and Holster arrive, clomping loudly into the kitchen with slumped shoulders… “Awww, we missed it?” says Ransom, taking in the scene, Bitty contentedly munching, pop music playing softly in the background. “Shits, I thought we were bros. You were supposed to text us when the box arrived!” exclaimed Holster.

“Sorry boys,” Lardo drawls, “sometimes it’s every bro for themselves!”  
“And we’re still having peach crumble, right Bitty?” Shitty contributed helpfully.

“S’not the same though,” grumbles Ransom petulantly. “Bitty’s expressions are better than some of the porn I’ve watched.”

Bitty, caught by surprise, snorts at the wrong moment and starts coughing. Jack’s instantly there, pounding his back, with an incredulous look at Ransom. “What, bro?” says Holster. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice? That was some EPIC shit last year!” 

Bitty flushes dark scarlet and Jack has color high in his cheek bones. Jack claps Bitty on the shoulder, shaking him gently and saying quietly but just loud enough for Shitty to hear, “Don’t let them chirp you too hard, Bittle. You love what you love, eh?”

Bitty’s eyes get so wide for a second that Shitty thinks he’s scared. But it seems like something else was happening. He blinks twice, leans into Jack’s hand for a fraction of a second, and swallows the rest of his bite, before straightening up haughtily and indicating the pair in the doorway with the hand holding the remains of the peach. 

“MISTER Oluransi. MISTER Birkholz.” He waits while the two straighten up apprehensively. “If y’all want any hope of DREAMING to have peach crumble with dinner t’night, I had best see you in the kitchen and on dishwashing duty at 6 pm, AM I UNDERSTOOD?” 

Holster and Ransom look sideways at each other. Holster speaks to the floor, abashed. “Jeez, Bitty, you drive a hard bargain. But we’ll be there, right Rans?”  
Ransom nods emphatically, takes a step forward. “Bitty, you know we would never…”

Bitty rolls his eyes at them and takes another giant bite of peach, flapping his hands at them in the universal signal for “yes, yes, I know, go away now.”

The two young giants slump dejectedly out of the kitchen. Shitty hops off the counter and catches Lardo’s eye with a slight head-jerk to indicate they should fuck off out of there. The mood’s been broken, and Bitty obviously needs some time alone. Or maybe some time with Jack. The two of them have been cooking together in the Haus kitchen all spring semester, they’re used to each other now.

As they ghost out of the kitchen, they can hear Jack’s low voice rumble… “Bittle. What do you need? Can I help?”

Bitty, soft, hesitant, and full of long vowels: “Can you just…um... keep me company a lil while? I ain’t wanna talk right now, but I don’t wanna be alone, long as I ain’t keepin’ ya from anything. Yeah?”

Jack, a little stronger: “Yeah.”  
And then a moment later, “Bitty, you know I got your back?”

Bitty, even softer. “Yeah. I know. ...thanks, Jack.”

And then there’s the subdued clicking and banging of plates and pots and pans as Bitty, apparently, tidies the kitchen.

Shitty stops just before he and Lardo start up the stairs, turns her enough to wrap her up in his long arms and rest his cheek on top of her head.

“Those poor kids,” she whispered softly.  
“Yeah, I know,” he replied, almost as quietly. “I think they’ll get there eventually, I’m just not sure how.”

“C’mon,” Lardo says, subdued. “I need a long hug after that.”  
Shitty nods, glancing back at the kitchen, where ongoing clicks and clanks document Bitty’s activity. “Yeah,” he mutters, “Me too. Thanks, sweetheart.” He kisses the top of her head and tugs her toward the stairs, her fingers wrapped around his hip bone and his cupping her shoulder.


	3. Chris "Chowder" Chow takes John Johnson's advice...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Chowder is his sweet self with keener eyes than most would give him credit for.

So, like, hi, folks, I got a letter from John Johnson, he used to be the goalie for the Samwell Men’s Hockey team (GO WELLIES!) and he said that I had to write up what I saw yesterday on what he called Peach Day.

And I mean, I’ve got to admit that yesterday was HELLA sw’awesome and fun and all, but I don’t understand how Johnson knew that it was gonna happen _yesterday._ I mean, his letter was postmarked three days ago. How did he even know? Also, what does he mean by “narrative continuity?” I mean I didn’t major in English for _reasons_ , like I basically got out of high school English by the skin of my teeth and what does that even mean actually? Like, when you wake up in the morning and there’s stuff on your teeth? Is that what it means, because ew, gross.

But like, I haven’t even picked my major yet, I’m still a freshman, but Bitty, man, he is like, my favorite person at Samwell, maybe, excepting my buddies Dex and Nursey who you understand are like my BROS. Only it’s not that Bitty’s not my Bro and all, because he totally is, but … ARGH.

Okay. I’m gonna start over, because Johnson said that this was important so that we can actually move along in the “plot exposition” or something? Like, okay man, that’s hella opaque I wish you explained more in that letter but he like ALMOST makes sense? Do you get what I mean? Like, ARGH again.

So, I was napping on the Green Couch of Comfiness yesterday afternoon, and there was this loud knock on the Haus door. I wake up, like, I’m right there, of course I wake up. Scrub my face a little, haul myself up and go get the door. Grandma would be embarrassed if I didn’t and I know she can’t see me this far away in college but she would KNOW, okay? She just knows things.

Anyway, I get the door and it turns out it’s the UPS guy, with a big box for Bitty. “Eric Bittle” it said on the label, though you know we never ever call him that. Jack Zimmermann calls him “Bittle” usually, but the rest of us guys on the hockey team call him Bitty or sometimes Bits. Like I hear Lardo or Rans or Holster call him that sometimes. Jack is… he’s like WHOA. He’s so nice, and he’s crazy fit, you know? Like way even more fit than when he was our captain for the Samwell Men’s hockey team last year. And now he’s on an actual NHL team, but he actually comes back to the Haus to visit, he’s really sw’awesome kinds of hella COOL. Like he’s nice to us even when our tadpoles this year get all like dumb fanboy around him though we do try to be all chill and stuff (to quote my bud Nursey, you know) and he just treats us like we’re dudes, you know, all us being hockey dudes hanging out together, even when Caitlin’s around, she’s like, just another dude, and it’s all really chill. (Oh! Caitlin's like, my girlfriend and all, I don't know if you know that or not.)

But I was trying to tell you about that box for Bitty, you know? It wasn’t really very heavy, but damn it smelled good. Like that shampoo from Bath and Body Works fruity stuff? Like the farmer’s markets Grandma keeps making me go to so I can carry the heavy bags kind of stuff? Like fresh fruit, so I was guessing this must be Peach Day, like Shitty was telling me about the last time he visited.

I guess that Peach Day started when Bitty was a Frosh, and now I’m a frosh and he’s a junior, and Bitty’s Mama Bittle sent a box full of the first of the Georgia Peaches because of how much Bitty loves peaches and the two of them used to bake together, and you know she’s a MOM and she misses her SON (I need to call my Mom, dangit!!).

So I carry that box on through into the kitchen, and Bitty’s not actually there. Which is a little weird, but you know he has classes and homework and all just like the rest of us, only somewhat more major than ours. I text Dex and Nursey that something cool is going down in the Haus, tell Shitty to get his ass over here if he can, but I guess he was hanging out with Lardo for the weekend because he just came straight out of her room almost as soon as I sent the text. 

I go upstairs and knock on Bitty’s door, and say, “Hey, Bitty? It’s Chowder, there’s a box for you down in the kitchen. It smells HELLA sw’awesome, I think it’s from your mom?”

I hear Bitty’s feet hit the floor and he says, “Oh hey, Chowder, honey, thanks, I’ll be right down in just a mo. Don’t you open that box now for me, you hear? No matter how sw’awesome it smells!”

“Like I would,” I snorted, “like DUDE. It’s YOUR box, your name on it and everything!”

I hear Bitty mutter, “you never know what your so-called friend will try in the name of fresh peaches!” and then I hear, even quieter “c’mon, sweetheart, it’s time.”

And I’m like, “uh, SWEETHEART?” but not out loud, just to myself; and I know I probably wasn’t supposed to hear that so I book it on down the stairs as fast as I can and I catch myself on the doorframe of the kitchen. Dex and Nursey are leaning on each other, looking kinda sleepy. I lean on the counter next to them and go, “Hey, guys? Is Bitty, like, dating anyone?” Nursey and Dex kind of look at each other, I mean LOOK at each other, before they look at me, and Nursey says, “uh, no, Chowder, not as far as _I_ know. Heard anything, Dexy?”

Dex frowns, but it’s not nearly as annoyed as it was when Nursey used to call him that at the start of the school year, so, SCORE. Their get-along plan is working. “Uh, nah, I don’t think so. Why, you hear something, Chris?”

And me, I’m … what do you call it, backpedaling? Like, I’m backpedaling and trying to be sly about it because I know I’m a really bad liar. And I say no, no, I haven’t heard anything, just, like, I want Bitty to be happy, that’s all, and I don’t really know what else to say so I latch onto the box? And I go, “Hey guys, doesn’t that box smell amazing? Like the good stuff at the farmer’s market?”

Dex scowls and he goes, “We didn’t all grow up in California, Chowder, remember?” And I’m like, “Well okay, sorry, sorry” but I’m also like, “But doesn’t it smell really good??”

So Nursey goes over and sniffs the box and his eyes get all wide and big and stuff. And he goes, “Will. Get over here and sniff the box, SERIOUSLY.”

Dex DOES, kinda grumbling, and then HIS eyes get all wide and he goes, “That smells better than summertime.” 

And I’m like, “I KNOW, RIGHT??” (I bounce up on my toes a little, because I bounce a little when I get excited about cool stuff, okay?)

The three of us are around the box, just kind of BREATHING and enjoying it when we hear Bitty say, “Hey Chowder, what did I SAY ‘bout that BOX?”

And we all back away like it’s synchronized swimming. “Nothing, we’re not doing anything, I swear Bitty!” All of us have our hands up in the “But I’m innocent, Officer!”

Nursey and Dex look almost ashamed. Maybe they WERE thinking about opening the box without Bitty there, I mean like Grandma says, we ARE growing boys and all, but we WOULDN’T. Not if it was something of BITTY’S. We OWE him, and we know it. He cooks and takes care of us, he’s kind of our tiny gay mom, in a way, and we love him and we totally have his back and he knows we have his back in the same way we know he’d take on a 6’2” D-man if they went after us on the ice. We’re Bros.

And I’m a little bit hurt, like “Bitty, you didn’t think we’d mess with your stuff, did you? Like, you’re totally our BRO, dude!”

“All right boys, I’m sorry I made assumptions, that was mean of me. But y’all weren’t here last year, it nearly got hairy in here!” and Jack Zimmermann and Shitty and Lardo are all in the doorframe! 

SW’AWESOME having everyone in the Haus…  
Except, “Where’s Ransom and Holster?” I’m thinking, they must want to be here too, they were telling stories about Peach Day in like January when it was all cold and that couple of days right after Winter Break where we were like snowed in there in the Haus…

Shitty says, “Unfortunately, our illustrious colleagues are stuck in the Library. Holtzy says that his Ransy-poo is about comatose under the table from studying for his last final; cannot be expected to join the band of Brothers in the ritual of the Opening of Bitty’s Box. And Holtzy won’t leave his platonic life-partner, which I must admit is the proper way of things, eh?” 

Scratching up at the back of Shitty’s newly short hair, Lardo continues for him: “He did say he’d have his revenge if Ransom and he didn’t get some of the peach crumble, so we have to make sure to save some.” Shitty's almost purring like a cat as Lardo keeps skritching him.

“Okay, y’all, we can surely save some for them, hey? Let’s get this party started now.” And Bitty goes to plug his phone into the speakers in the kitchen, and I can already tell it’s one of Bitty’s Party Mixes… like, Bitty is pre-emptively dancing.

Jack starts chirping him, like “Must be some good music, Bittle, you’re dancing before it even starts!”

Bitty looks at Jack over his shoulder, kind of through his lashes? And he just outright SMIRKS. Like the smirkiest smirk that ever smirked, and I’ve seen a LOT of smirking since I came to Samwell, you know? This was a serious one.

Bitty says, “You hush now, Mr. Zimmermann, you don’t wanna be on pie-atus do ya?” Jack has an exaggerated “NO” on his face and his hands held up in surrender. It’s kind of cool really, he usually doesn’t make funny faces.

And Shitty and Lardo groan in unison. “Oh my GOD, Bitty!” says Lardo. Shitty covers his eyes. “Worst pun I’ve heard all month, Bits, and I’m hanging out with LAW students who’d think that was awful.” 

I get it though. I think it’s hilarious. PIE-Ate-us? A hiatus for pie. Sw’awesome! I’m grinning my face off, so hard I can feel my braces (dammit, only a couple more months till I get them OFF)...

Anyway, Jack comes on into the kitchen and gets the box knife (it’s this really ugly old knife that is so gross that we only use it to open things we’re not gonna actually eat) out of that one drawer my mom would call a junk drawer, presents the handle to Bitty.

They kind of Look at each other, you know? Like there’s something going on? Some kind of story is happening behind that look but they both seem kind of happy about it, and it’s not any of my business and if they want to talk about it and tell the story that would be great. But I’m not going to ask, I’m honestly just glad they seem happy. Jack didn’t use to seem like the kind of guy who was used to being happy, and Bitty was the guy who worked to make sure OTHER people were happy, kind of like a mom, you know?

So Bitty takes the Ugly Knife off Jack, opens the box from his mom quickly. Shitty’s toasting Mama Bittle with his beer can: he calls her a peach pusher which seems kind of rude except for how addictive all of Bitty’s baking is all the time. (I try to get seconds whenever I can, and Bitty likes me so sometimes he saves me an extra slice of pie or whatever. Bitty’s SW’AWESOME.)

Like, the box is full of these gorgeous huge PEACHES. (which you know we were expecting on account of Shitty actually CALLING it Peach Day in the way that you know you can hear the capital letters and all? And you know I live in California, where we get really good fruits and veggies but I have NEVER seen any fruit as big and pretty as these or any fruit that smelled so damn good. Wow. 

It smelled so good, and it smelled even better when Bitty took a big old bite out of the first peach he pulled out… Wow did that smell good. 

But I blushed like really bright hot colors when Bitty started making NOISE.  
Like, um, he was making the kinds of noises that get you sexiled from your dorm room so you have to go sleep on the Awesome Green Couch of Comfiness in the Haus.

But, like, Shitty and Lardo were WATCHING. Watching Bitty, with smiles and interested faces. And so was Jack, though now that I think about it, I think I expected him to be embarrassed, like me and Dex and Nursey were. (They were squirming just a tiny bit and I figured they were kind of in my shoes you know…)  
But Jack, he’s got this look on his face where he’s leaned against the wall, like he’s FOND of Bitty, we know, like we know that he came up from Providence to VISIT Bitty, but also like there was an extra something THERE? And I’m not going to say anything more because it’s totally not my business and I love these guys, they are totally my bros and I totally have their back. My lips they are totally sealed.

Bitty is still really, like HELLA ENJOYING that peach, you know? I just can’t chirp him about this, I… like I … don’t know how. I’m expecting Shitty to do it, but him and Lardo are seriously watching him like they’re proud parents and this is their baby’s first steps (what? I’m an uncle already, I was there, I watched my sister and my brother in law and OMG BABIES SQUEE). So there’s no chirping going on, just Bitty eating that beautiful peach, and we’re all watching. He’s got a couple bites left when he finally quits making those embarrassing noises and comes up for air.

He legit BURPS, you guys. Giant old burp, with the sunniest grin afterwards. And you can’t feel weird after a bro belches like that, you just can’t. One, it’s too funny, and two, his happiness is just so contagious! I start bouncing up again, and he sees me and says, “oh my sweet baby Chowder. Thank you for bringing my mama’s box in here unmolested…” and Jack and Shitty both snort. And Lardo straight up GRINS. 

Bitty puts his nose up and ignores them as though they are peasants or something and continues, “In return for such unparalleled good behavior, I’ll pass on a reward, in exchange for one condition.” I shrug and smile. Bitty smiles back. “If you and Dex and Nursey will guard the box for just a little while, I’ll slice up another peach and y’all can share it. Straight from the box.”

We grin at each other. 

“Sure, Bitty, we’ve got your back! Or your box! Whatever!” pipes up Nursey.  
Dex has a kind of reluctantly respectful half-grin, “Sounds pretty good, actually…”  
And me, I’m just _psyched_. “Hell YEAH, Bitty, we can do that.” 

“Fine,” says Bitty. “Jack’s helping me with something upstairs, but we’re nearly done, and I’ll get to work on the crumble pretty soon after that,” he said, his hands quick to section out another huge peach into a bowl with some cream, and three spoons, which he hands to me.

It smells heavenly. The peach goes perfectly with the rich cream Bitty’s poured over the top, and me and Nursey and Dex even slow down from our usual inhaling of food to appreciate and murmur at each other about how good it is. It's so good we don't even notice that the others have left.

“Hey,” says Dex after a minute, “I wonder why Shitty and Lardo and Jack didn’t mind not getting fresh peach slices too?”

Nursey smirks and elbows Dex. “Maybe they’re happy to get dinner AFTER the show, you know what I mean?” 

Dex scowls and punches Nursey’s shoulder. “Don’t be gross, Nurse, that’s NOT okay.”

I’m keeping my eyes on the bowl because I _saw_ how Jack looked at Bitty, and how _Bitty_ looked at _Jack_ as they walked out of the kitchen together.

But I’m not saying a damn thing, because there’s stuff bros don’t share about their bros, and I know I’m an awful liar, so it’s way better to keep my mouth shut… or…

“Hey you guys, this is amazing, but like, did you ever do this thing, like cream with fresh _strawberries_?” I sigh happily. “Like it’s _also_ SW’AWESOME!”

Nursey starts talking about some kind of fancy dessert with berries and cake and alcohol that you light on FIRE, and Dex argues stubbornly that the best dessert is the one his mom used to make. I know my bros, and they can bicker on like this forever or at least till Bitty comes back, and I sigh a little bit and smile a little bit and I think, I didn’t blow it. I can keep this on the downlow, they can totally trust me. 

And like, I’m only telling you guys because Johnson told me to, but he says you guys can keep a secret too, and I trust him.

Johnson’s pretty weird, but he DOES know stuff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my headcanon is that there's all kinds of low key relationship explorations going on in the background of this chapter. I don't think you even have to squint to see it. =)
> 
> also, YEAAAAHHH Jack is DEFINITELY helping Bitty with a little something upstairs...


	4. Captain Bittle’s Senior Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack underestimates the seductive power of peaches, in spite of having seen it three times before.

This year, despite sad faces from his teammates at Samwell, Bitty gets the box from his momma at Jack’s apartment, where he’s gone to visit for the weekend. After the box opening and the initial ritual cherishing of the peach, he shyly offers the first bite to Jack instead, smiling. Jack gravely cups his hands over Bitty’s, holds eye contact with Bitty and opens his mouth, taking a large slow sensuous bite of the gorgeous piece of fruit, that smells so wonderful and has that slight fuzzy texture against his lips... 

Jack was actually meaning to mess with Bitty, be flirty and maybe a little steamy but instead he’s overwhelmed by the DELICIOUS flavor exploding in his mouth. His eyes get wide for an instant before fluttering closed, and he doesn't actually fake his noises of enjoyment, although he’d meant to. He makes surprised little moans with the flavor released as he chews the large mouthful of peach flesh.

Bitty’s grinning with his mouth open, watching as his tongue tip is wetting his lower lip. Eyes wide, breathing hard, pupils blown, by the time Jack comes back to himself.  
“You see what I mean, NOW, sweetheart?” Bitty says softly, reaching out slightly to catch a drop of juice at the corner of Jack’s mouth. “Peaches are MAGICAL.”

Jack’s eyes are still refocusing as he turns his head slightly. He catches Eric’s fingers between his lips, pulling the fingertips in between his teeth and nibbling gently. He hooks his arm around his sweetheart’s long elegant neck. By the end of the gesture, the peach is resting on Eric’s right shoulder weeping fragrant juice onto his fingers and Eric’s tank top. Jack is full of pleasure, fun and mischief: a warm expansion of feeling starts in his chest and swiftly takes up residence low in his belly once he sees Eric’s color rise, his cheeks get bright and the skin of his neck and chest flush…

Pulled up close to each other like this, he’s got his Bitty standing between his feet. Bitty’s hand slides up his chest and tenderly moves into the short hairs at the back of his neck. His hand feels so good. Warm, safe and loving, their bodies close enough to share heat, the scent of luscious fresh fruit surrounding them, and Bitty’s sweet face is RIGHT THERE. Jack finishes his bite and swallows. Ducks his head suddenly to nuzzle his clean shaven cheek against Bitty’s, reveling in the soft touch, his nose softly grazing Bitty’s ear. 

There’s a gratifying tiny gasp as Bitty’s hand closes tighter on the back of Jack’s neck. Jack never thought he’d have this, have this kind of sweetness and nourishment and sass and trust and flirting and heat in his life, have this kind of delicious safety to just BE and LOVE … and to have all of that returned with interest… his breath ghosts over the pale skin of Bitty’s neck and shoulder. That cinnamon and salty sweat smell of his boyfriend blends beautifully with the smell of the peach juice staining his skin and his shirt. Jack inhales with pleasure, his chest expanding against Bitty’s. He’s vividly aware of every place their bodies touch.

Bitty nestles closer with a sigh, trustingly tipping his head over to rest in the crook of Jack’s elbow, gasping again when Jack lays an open mouthed kiss at the join of his neck and shoulder.

Bitty scratches lightly at the back of Jack’s neck, running fingers up into his hair and standing it up on end. Bitty’s other arm wraps around his waist, tucking into the back of his pants’ waistband. His fingertips are gently rubbing the small of Jack’s back. He knows Bitty is working on gradually untucking the back of his shirt from his running shorts. It’s a weakness of Bitty’s: his hand on the bare skin at the small of Jack’s back. Because he can. Because not only does Jack let him, but welcomes the touch, encourages it. 

He loves sliding his fingers over Jack’s skin there in the same way Jack loves catching a glimpse of skin between the top of Bitty’s shorts and his tank top. It rides up whenever Bits reaches for something on a high shelf. It’s lovely to him. It’s ...Exhilaration. It’s a sensual appreciation of someone who makes you feel like skiing down a black diamond run does, every time they look at you with love written all over their face.

All these thoughts pass through Jack in a flash, leaving the thrill of Bitty, warm and cuddly, wrapping arms around Jack, and Jack’s arms wrapped around him. He shudders a moment, realizing again, he can HAVE this. He’s ALLOWED. Bitty wants to be here, snugged up warm and kissed on… 

And Jack for a moment thanks the gods and the fates for however this has come to be, that he’s actually happy and safe and loved, and that he has the chance to make Bitty feel happy and safe and loved. Bitty’s heart is as big as his grandmother’s stewpot, with room to love and feed everyone.

Bitty feels him shudder, and starts to turn in his arms, questioning “Sweetheart? Everything ok?”  
Jack growls, “yes…” and bites Bitty right where his neck meets his shoulder.

Bitty cries out suddenly. Someone who was not-Jack might think that noise sounded like Jack was hurting him, but Bitty arches back in Jack’s arms, his muscles tensing as he presses closer to Jack’s legs and belly, hands spasming and clutching at Jack’s neck and shirt.

Jack loves how small Bitty is compared to him, how he can wrap Bitty up in his arms and feel his body with what feels like every square centimeter of his own nerve endings… He loves how responsive Bitty is, the noises he makes, how he touches Jack when he’s so, as Bitty might say, “riled up” that he’s almost out of his mind: fluttering, gripping, demanding, sometimes bossy, sometimes utterly pliant and waiting to see what Jack chooses to do with him. 

Jack savors the taste of Bitty’s skin, loves knowing he's leaving a mark. His tongue works over the bite, as waves of hot feelings roll through him. Their hands roam over each other’s backs, warm and hungry. The energy surge between them makes it clear, even more than Bitty’s bright flush and happy broken noises, that this is where Jack belongs. Home, wrapped up in this delightful and confusing tiny baker. Bitty, Eric, has brought him so much freedom, has helped unlock the boxes of his feelings and gave him a place to unpack and flower and feel.

The peach in his hand tantalizes his nose again, and he lets his teeth release Bitty’s shoulder, gently soothing the skin with his nose. He’s left a satisfyingly large and vivid mark from the bite he’s taken. Jack likes the taste of Bitty’s skin even more than he likes Bitty’s baking. He can’t say that to Bitty now, but he can and will later, when they’re flushed and laid out on the bed afterwards. And he'll say it again, and again. Until Bitty believes it.

He nuzzles Bitty’s ear again, as his breathing starts to slow a bit. Then he brings the peach to his mouth and takes a big juicy slow noisy bite, just as he moves his other hand to the curve of Bitty’s equally succulent and tender backside, and squeezes possessively. The flavor explodes again in his mouth at the same time as Bitty’s hips jerk against his leg, and Jack can feel Bitty’s hot erection against his skin down by the hem of his shorts. Bitty shudders from sensory overload and surprise, and honestly so does Jack. Bitty’s bent so far back now it’s almost like the dips the figure skaters do in the couple's figure skate competitions Bitty’s made him watch. But watching Bitty react like this to his hands and his mouth, is much more exciting. 

He chews and enjoys the fragrant fruit in his mouth as he gathers Bitty up tight against his chest, bent over so they’re touching as much as possible, and hears his own voice go deep into the rumbly register that seems especially for moments like this as he says, hands full of his Bitty, “Sweet Georgia Peach,” kissing Bitty’s temple tenderly.

“Oh Jack,” Bitty says breathlessly, and squirms closer. Both arms reach up to him for a desperate kiss.  
Their mouths fit together perfectly, just like from the beginning. Hungry and loving, tongues stroking, teeth and lips nibbling as hands move urgently everywhere. 

Jack loosens one arm from where it’s wrapped around Bitty and drinks up the small noise of protest Bitty makes at being out of contact for even a second, but Jack needs to set the rest of this peach down on the countertop, because, well, the peach can wait.

He turns back to Bitty, licking the juice from his long fingers, watching Bitty watching his mouth. He sucks his thumb into his mouth, cleaning it thoroughly, and Bitty’s mouth falls open, slack. Just for fun Jack licks his thumb slowly to watch Bitty’s expression. Bitty licks his lips and glances back up to meet Jack’s eyes, and his face breaks into a smile that’s like sunshine through the clouds.  
Bitty sensuously slides his hand down from Jack’s neck, teasing it across Jack’s chest, before catching Jack’s wrist and bringing that hand down to his mouth. Biting his lip first, his gaze flickers quickly between Jack’s face and his fingers before he brings Jack’s index finger into his mouth.

Bitty groans, and his eyes close. Feeling his finger sucked inside Bitty’s soft wet warm mouth, hearing that noise come out of his throat and feeling the vibration in Bitty’s chest where they’re pressed together …with the soft rhythmic hip movements that demonstrate just how into this Bitty is? Jack’s knees suddenly get weak. Falling back against the marble countertop makes a cold sudden line against his lower back followed by a hot thrill to his cock as Bitty crowds up after him. The thrill goes all the way down to his toes and all the way up his spine and it feels like electricity is erupting out the crown of his head like a fountain.

Bitty grabs at his hand like he’s a starving man and Jack is part of a feast. Sucks Jack’s middle finger up in his mouth alongside his pointer finger, and there’s Bitty’s lips and tongue, exploring the ridges and grooves of his fingers, perfect, wet, hot. Jack’s cheeks feel hot, heat down his neck and chest, tension increasing in his groin as he watches the passionate expressions on his sweetheart’s face. Pulls Bitty even closer, staring at him with an intense gaze. Bitty breaks off the sucking, looking up at Jack under his eyelashes, bites his lip and *blushes* hard.

Jack’s done for. He’s going to love this boy to the rest of his life and beyond, but right now, he’s got to get his hands on all of that skin. His mouth on all of that skin. 

Immediately. Yesterday. He scoops Bitty up, who yelps, his shoulders across Jack’s left arm, bottom and hips slung across his right hip where his right hand is greedily groping Bitty’s beautiful tight butt. Bitty flings his arms around Jack’s neck and is kissing the skin there, fingernails bright sparks of pain and pleasure digging into Jack’s shoulders as Jack hefts him through the kitchen doorway and down the hall into the bedroom. 

Bitty’s already scrabbling to pull Jack’s shirt off as Jack lays him down on the bed. Jack gets to work removing those infuriating short shorts, dragging them down over the long muscles on Bitty’s legs. Jack kisses down Bitty’s hip and leg just behind where he’s pulling the shorts down, and ducks his head to let Bitty, squirming and laughing, pull the back of his shirt up and over to bind his arms. Once he’s thrown Bitty’s shorts over towards the hamper, he shakes his shirt down his arms and flicks that at the hamper too. Bitty skins out of his tank top and scoots backward on their bed, gloriously nude and almost glowing in the light from their window, his springtime tan and freckles just a bit warmer than his pale torso. He’s staring hungrily at Jack and Jack suddenly grins, spreads his arms open wide, ducks his head a little and raises one eyebrow.  
He exaggerates his accent for effect. “See something you like, sailor?”

Bitty’s grin matches his and kicks it up higher with eyebrows of incredulity.  
“Oh my GOD, Jack, will ya take your damn pants off and get the hell over here already? I’m DYING to get my hands on you, sweetheart... “ Bitty’s expression turns coy. “Or my MOUTH on you, I ain’t particularly picky just right now. Either or both works, handsome.”

Jack is shot through with joy. 

“Both? Both is good,” he says, remembering that Disney movie marathon they had last week. Bitty grins smugly at him as he sheds his own shorts and underwear, kicking them up to fly into the air in the general direction of the hamper. Jack loves their apartment: the privacy and the things in it and Bitty in it, cooking together in their kitchen, and sleeping or internetting or cuddling or fucking in their bed. He loves all of it, and never more than when he’s prowling up the bed like now, to go get his man. Especially when his man is so eager and wanting and holding out his arms and ready to be, in Bitty’s way of speaking, “loved up on” in whatever ways they come together tonight.

Bitty pulls him up close with a possessive hand on the back of Jack’s neck and into a hungry kiss. Jack rolls them both up together, legs entangled and skin feeding skin as they begin the slow climb up into one of the best parts of being HOME.

*FIN*

**Author's Note:**

> I love these boys so much, and this fandom so much. Thank you Ngozi for letting us borrow the boys (and sometimes girls) for awhile! It's all in fun, and I promise to put them back in good condition when I'm done.
> 
> read the comic at: http:// omgcheckplease .tumblr .com /post/57705111693
> 
> Feel free to come find me on Tumblr, same username as here.


End file.
